


Outlander

by TheFictionist



Category: RWBY
Genre: Gen, substance abuse tw, suicide attempt tw
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-12
Updated: 2020-04-14
Packaged: 2021-03-01 18:21:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,446
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23611480
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheFictionist/pseuds/TheFictionist
Summary: After a failed suicide attempt, a girl from our world is transported to the world of Remnant. Believing her transportation here has a purpose, she believes that it is her rightful mission to right the wrongs of the story and set things right. However, her attempts prove futile as every step she has taken has only brought the story to its full course.
Relationships: James Ironwood / Reader, Ozpin / Reader
Comments: 1
Kudos: 15





	1. Introduction

My name is Ivy.  
But when this story began,  
That wasn’t my name. 

I grew up Catholic, and as a Catholic we believed that death was merely more as the separation of body and soul. That if you’re still alive, it still means you’ve still got some mission in life to complete, and when that mission is complete, that’s the time you can finally rest in piece — I never believed in that crummy bullshit. I didn’t want my life to be the center of someone’s fictional story. I’ve always lived my life on my own terms. Even when I decided to take my own.

I planned it. Singlehandedly. Nothing too bloody, nothing that required noise or strangulation. It was going to be quick, easy; at the time overdosing on isopropyl alcohol seemed like the easy way out. A coward’s way out, even in committing suicide, but I didn’t like pain and blood. It seemed like the painless and quickest way to die. Ten bottles of isopropyl alcohol later I passed out...

But never woke up.

I mean, I couldn’t have. To conjure up this new reality in my head, I must be lying in some hospital room somewhere, tubes on my nose and wires on my wrist. The faint beeping of my heart beat echoing across the lonely room. Instead, I found myself in this strange world of a cartoon television show that I recently got into over the past few months. A student in some academy as I train to become a huntsman. How I got here? The Headmaster found me. How he did, I wasn’t so sure. It all happened so fast, involving some sort of red eyed man named Qrow. It’s all a blur how that happened. To wake up in a Hospital bed that wasn’t in our world. But this world. 

It’s been a few months now,  
And I’ve adjusted to my life in this strange realm. But I can’t shake the feeling, of an impending sense of doom just waiting to happen. Over time, I’m beginning to realize one thing, I’m not dead. This isn’t some elaborate dream. This is a second chance, my reason to still be alive. I know how the story ends, and perhaps, this is my chance to set things right.


	2. Chapter 1: The First Step

Crimson eyes bore into me as I watched from the ground.  
Pale skin filled with veins and white hair cascaded from her shoulders that caged me in.  
I couldn’t breathe, I was struggling to find air.  
“You will tell me everything you know, or I’m going to have to take it from you.” She says.  
I say nothing. Defiant. Unrelenting.  
“Your courage is admirable. But it will only get you so far.” The woman continues as she leans closer and brings an index finger to my temple.  
“If you won’t tell me, perhaps, you will show me.”  
A scream.

And then I awoke with a start, eyes shooting wide open, rousing up from bed. Panting heavily as sweat poured down from my forehead. I’ve been having this nightmare for about a few weeks now that I was starting to believe it had something to do with the upcoming events to follow. In a few hours, the new students would be arriving. And it would only be a matter of time before the story begins and chaos breaks loose. I sighed getting up from the bed and walking into the bathroom, looking at my disheveled state from the previous nights before. Dark circles could be found under my eyes and my skin looked dehydrated. I immediately splashed some cold water on my face in an attempts to wake me up and shake me back into reality. With little to no effect. I continued to stare at my reflection in the mirror. Some changes were visible from my first arrival here in this world. It had been about five months in counting. And have lost a considerable amount of weight from the training I needed to participate in, a prerequisite I needed to learn in order to survive the next upcoming months in Beacon. And It was then wondered. How long would it be until everyone realized I was a fake? A fraud. I had made a silent agreement to myself that I would stay in my own lane whilst the story unfolded before me. In a matter of minutes the students would be arriving.

But first, a drink.

_________________________________________________

The bar was unoccupied. Seeing as how it was in the middle of the day and I was it’s only customer during these hours. Across me from the barstool, news of Dust robbery replayed in the distance. Some guy named Roman Torchwick, and I remembered his name briefly. My eyes narrowed at the screen as I took a shot from my bourbon which I was nursing. So, the story has begun.

“Shouldn’t you be in campus?” A familiar voice, raspy and strained disrupted me from my reverie. I turned around to meet it’s expected owner, my teacher and close confidant. My first friend in this world; Qrow Branwen. “Shouldn’t you be at work?” I retorted back taking another sip from my bourbon and he simply replied with a face that resembled touché followed by a shrug. I cocked my head to the vacant seat beside me, to which he took, addressing the bar tender and ordered himself a drink. 

He then turned to look at me.

“How are you?” He asked, concern riddled in his features. Perhaps he saw the tiredness in my eyes or the dark circles under them. It was my turn to simply shrug. “Coping.” I took another sip. He nodded. “It’s the nightmares again is it?” Ever so astute, he finally asked. And I sighed, realizing that there was no beating around the bush with him.

Being a member of Ozpin’s inner circle, Qrow Branwen was one of the few familiar with my unusual predicament. And the only one who knew about my nightmares regarding Salem.  
I nodded bleakly, staring into my almost half empty shot of bourbon. To which I ignored him for a moment and ordered another glass. Branwen sighed. “You should probably tell Ozpin about them.”  
“And then what?” I snapped. “It’s not like he’s going to have the answers on how to stop them. Besides, it’s only going to worry him. The headmaster has got a lot on his plate as it is.” I reminded. Considerably, as how I was an unofficial member of Ozpin’s inner circle myself, which made me realize the big responsibility I had at that moment.  
“If it’s got anything to do regarding Salem, I think he has the right to know.”

I wasn’t going to lie, the other Branwen twin had a point. I sighed. “I’ll tell him when the time is right.” Qrow didn’t seem satisfied with this answer, but nevertheless, he acquiesced by nodding. “Suit yourself.” He then began to take a sip of his own drink. 

Silence then loomed over us for a few moments before I finally asked; “Qrow?”  
“Yeah, kid?”  
“You don’t think...” I paused. “That these dreams have something to do with the future do you?”  
He paused for a moment, contemplated, and sighed. “Look, I’m not the best interpreter of dreams, which is why I think you should tell Ozpin about them, but regardless. If it’s been haunting you for a consecutive amount of time, I think it’s a warning.”  
I grimly looked back up the screen of the news of the Dust shop robbery that happened last night. The same night I had the dream. I turned solemn for a moment and perhaps it showed, because Qrow added; “But like I said, I’m no dream interpreter, kid.”  
“If you say so.” I replied simply, taking a sip from my drink in the hopes that it would quell the anxieties swirling around in my head.

It didn’t.

_________________________________________________

The afternoon sun rose high above Beacon Academy, and I sat by the benches entrance, awaiting for the students to arrive. My previous encounter with Qrow still fresh in my mind; “If it’s been happening for a consecutive amount of time, it might be a warning.” 

I shook my head, lighting up the cigarette I had been holding in my hand and bringing it to the tip of my lips. Book in my hand entitled The History of Beacon, which I had borrowed from the library a few moments ago in order to keep me preoccupied. Engrossed in thought, it took me a couple of minutes to realize that a shadow loomed over the current page I was reading. A faint silhouette of a bow on top of long hair. I recognized who this belonged to, and I immediately perked my head up. “Yes?” I asked the girl, clad in black and purple. “Mind if I sit here?” She asked tentatively. I raised an eyebrow at this. “Sure, if you don’t mind the second hand effects of smoking.”  
The girl merely shrugged and I scooted over to give her some space. She sat down and mirrored my movements by taking out a book and began to read them. “My name’s Ivy.” I introduced, the name still sounding foreign in my tongue. The girl didn’t seem to notice my awkwardness at this fact though. “Blake.” She simply replied. “Pleasure.”  
“Likewise.”  
Knowing that the girl wasn’t much for words I simply let her be, and we sat in silence as I continued to smoke whilst she continued to read. And in my head, I couldn’t help but think that this was going to be just the beginning.

_________________________________________________

A loud crash distracted me from my current state of contemplation, and I looked up to see a familiar scene before me; a girl clad in white while another girl clad in black and red was on the ground over a pile of luggage. And I couldn’t help but be washed over a wave of nostalgia. A few months ago, I was watching this scene on a laptop, now, I was seeing it in person. And it didn’t change the fact that it was awfully painful to watch. I glanced towards Blake, who seemed unperturbed by the sudden noise. Nevertheless, I continued to watch in sudden interest. There were a few spats from the girl dressed in white, who I recall whose name was Weiss. And the girl who had to endure all of that unnecessary scolding was Ruby. The protagonist of this story. The girl whose name was Weiss was waving around something in a cylinder, causing its particles to fly about, and I waited for the Big Bang to happen.

A sneeze, And followed by a loud boom, and then an explosion. The bottle in Weiss’ hands flew and rolled over to were Blake and I sat. We then looked at one another and back at the scene before us. “Should we stop them?”  
I asked, and Blake merely sighed. “I’ll do it.” She said taking up the vial and walking towards the two girls. I followed suit behind her. 

As we approached, Weiss continued to give her tirade; “Unbelievable, this is the kind of thing I was talking about!”  
“I’m really, really sorry!”  
“Ugh, you complete dolt, what are you even doing here, aren’t you a little young to be attending Beacon?”  
“Well, I-I.”

And at that moment I felt completely sorry for Ruby. But regardless of her apologetic facade, Weiss didn’t seem to be having none of it. “This isn’t your ordinary combat school, it’s not just sparring practice you know. We’re here to fight monsters. So watch we’re you’re going!”  
“Hey, I said I was sorry, Princess!”

At this point, me and Blake were already close enough to catch their attention; “It’s heiress actually.” The two girls turned towards our attention. “Weiss Schnee, Heiress to the Schnee Dust Company, one of the largest producers of energy propellant in the world.”  
Weiss seemed flattered by this, but I was patiently waiting for the burn to follow.  
“The same company infamous for its controversial labor forcers and questionable business partners.”  
Me and Ruby snickered whole Weiss through a fit.  
“Well how dare - the nerve- ugh!” Weiss grabbed the vial and stormed off.  
“I promise I’ll make this up to you!”  
At this point unbeknownst to Ruby, Blake walked off the opposite direction. 

“I guess you’re not the only one having a rough first day huh?” I began, and Ruby turned to look at me as though she was beginning to wonder how I could’ve read her thoughts. “The name’s Ivy.” I began, and offered her a hand to shake. “Ruby.” 

I know.  
“The girl who helped you out was Blake. She’s not much of a people person though.”  
“Yeah I noticed.” A pause.  
“So um, you saw everything didn’t you?”  
“Pretty much. But it’s not your fault. The girl was practically waving around Dust like a raving lunatic. You wouldn’t have had an allergic reaction if she just stayed still.”  
Ruby chuckled. “You’re pretty cool.” She bored and I immediately blushed at the statement and stammered.

“Wanna be friends?”

_________________________________________________

So that is how, I unconsciously became friends with Ruby. I realized my initial promise to myself to stay in my lane had been compromised by the situation. But I couldn’t help but feel sorry for her during the incident. Because, I knew it was like to be misunderstood. As you can probably tell, I had a thing for underdogs. Same goes with vomit boy named Jaune, who had joined us a few moments later. 

“All I’m saying is motion sickness is a lot more common than people let on.”  
“Look I’m sorry, but vomit boy was the first thing that came to mind.”

As the two bantered, I was left to my own silent reverie again as the three of us walked the grounds of the school. Not knowing why I had lead them here in the first place. It had been about five months since I arrived here, and this school had become sort of my second home, so unlike the newcomers I knew a lot more than they let on. Quite literally. Suddenly Ruby pulled me out of my contemplative state when she asked about my weapon. 

I stared at her blankly for a few moments.  
“So, what’s your weapon, Saphie?”  
“Um.” I pulled out the weapon leaning out from my side and unleashed it. The two jolted back in shock. “A double ended spear and rifle.” Ruby suddenly went wide eyed and started fawning over it whilst Jaune stared at it admirably. 

“Great. All of you have got cool weapons. And here I am, classics guy.”  
Seeing as how he was starting to get uncomfortable I seized it back to its original state and went up to it. “Look, Jaune. Weapons aren’t everything. At the end of the day, it’s your skill on how you handle them. If you’re comfortable with your weapon, why change it?”  
Ruby made a face that resembled touché and Jaune seemed to be more comfortable. 

He then paused and then realized something.

“Hey where exactly are we going?”  
“I don’t know I was following you.”  
I laughed light and pulled the other two by their collars. “Come on, you two.”

________________________________________________

We arrived at Beacon’s equivalent to a Great Hall after that. Ruby had said her goodbye’s to Jaune but pulled me over to be introduced to her sister Yang. After some casualties were exchanged and Ruby and Weiss met up again, Ozpin came up the stage to deliver his speech, we locked eyes for a moment before he began;  
“I’ll keep this brief... you have travelled her today to acquire knowledge. To hone your craft and apply new skills. And when you are finished, you plan to dedicate your life to the protection of the people. But I look amongst you and... all I see is wasted energy.”  
I raised my eyebrow at this. “In need of purpose, direction.” He then made eye contact with me once again, and I felt a shiver down my spine. “You assume knowledge will free you of this, but your time at this school will only prove that knowledge can only carry you so far. It is up to you... to take the first step.”  
He excited the stage and Glinda took her turn to take over to give some announcements. But as the others lingered on, I noticed something off about Ozpin that day. And I couldn’t help but wonder that even though he was addressing the students, I suspiciously wondered if that speech had been meant for me.

________________________________________________

That night, the students gathered in some hall and I made my bags beside Ruby and Yang. And although I had their company for now I couldn’t help but feel so alone. It hadn’t dawned on me how alone I felt since coming to this world. The only people who truly knew about my predicament was Ozpin and Qrow. I barely knew anyone to truly trust with my secret, and Ozpin’s speech during the previous day weighed heavily on my mind. “It is up to you to take the first step.” 

At the time, I didn’t exactly understand what he meant. But with the upcoming events to follow I would soon later realize what he had meant.


	3. Chapter Two: The Emerald Forest

I barely got any sleep the previous night. Each night the dreams were getting more powerful, and they seemed more real than they have before. Although Qrow had said that he wasn’t an interpreter of dreams, I couldn’t help but believe his statement. 

While everyone was buzzing about thinking about teams, I shrugged it off. Getting ready for the day of initiation wherein everyone would see me for the fake that I really am. I wasn’t as excited about this fact as the other students, but then again I wasn’t a student. 

Another thing preoccupied my mind. Should I tell Ozpin? Or would it have been too soon? How would this alter the course of the story if I had told him about Salem now? Or even worse,

Would Qrow actually snitch on me and tell Ozpin himself?

I shuddered at the thought and splashed some cold water on my face in an attempts to wake me up, but I was left in a daze. Until Ruby had pulled me out of my contemplative state.

“If you don’t want me on your team then I’ll team up with Ivy!” Ruby exclaimed pulling you too her side and you stammered anxiously.  
Ruby then eyed you feigning shocked hurt. “My dearest friend Ivy, are you saying that you do not wish to be on the same team as me?”

“Well...I...” 

“Don’t pressure her Ruby. She has the right to make her own decisions on who she wants to team up with.” Yang said in your defense and you silently thanked her for it. You weren’t planning on embarrassing yourself in front of the two girls. But unbeknownst to the two of them, you knew how those teams were going to be formed, and you just hoped that you wouldn’t be getting in the way of the original story line. 

The two girls continued bickering, in the distance, I spotted Jaune attempting to flirt with Weiss again and I shook my head. Just as I was about to head in toward him to save his sorry as, Glynda Goodwitch’s voice echoed through the auditorium. “Would all first year students report to Beacon Cliff immediately.” 

I cringed inwardly. I didn’t know how I was going to fair out with this landing strategy as Qrow’s training had not prepared me enough for this, as it turns out, it looks like I’d be leaving with a few broken bones or maybe even die in this initiation fighting off Grimm.

The three of us then decided to follow suit but before we did spotted Jaune slouching on the floor with a defeated look on his face. “Having some trouble there Lady Killer?” Yang asked as me and Ruby helped him up. “I don’t understand, my dad said all women look for is confidence. Where did I go wrong?”  
“I think your dad missed out on the point that confidence had to be subtle? Otherwise, you’re coming off pretty haughty no offense.”   
“Ivy’s right. And Snow Angel probably wasn’t the best start.”

The four of us then made our way towards Beacon Cliff.

______________________________________________

The morning sun rose high above us as each of us students gathered atop Beacon Cliff, across us, stood Professor Ozpin and Glynda Goodwitch. He gave his spiel about being trained our whole lives to become huntsman, and at that moment I couldn’t help but feel incompetent. I was hardly paying attention to the instructions, as I remembered them clearly when I first watched them on the screen. Still dreading the idea of whom I was going to be paired with. I looked around my fellow classmates, and it seems as though I that I was the odd one out. There was a team that was going to have five members instead of four, and if I played my cards right, I wouldn’t have to be paired with the protagonists of the show. That would be too difficult. I was too preoccupied with who I was going to be paired up with when suddenly, I was launched in the air. 

I screamed along with Jaune as I did, my heartbeat pounding and everything passing by me so fast. As expected, I struggled with my landing as I forcefully attempted to end it. I landed in between some bushes and crashed into a few bushes and branches, falling straight forward onto my back. I groaned. 

“Need a hand?” An unfamiliar voice came into my hearing and I looked up to see a new face. Ren. Begrudgingly, I took it and he helped pull me up. “You alright?”  
“I have no choice but to be.” Ren merely looked at me and shrugged as I stretched and cracked my back. “Looks like we’re partners.”  
“Looks like it.”

To be honest, I wasn’t particularly happy about this turn out. But it was better than being placed with team RWBY. At least I was going to have something in common with Jaune. 

However, I wasn’t looking forward to battling out a giant snake. 

_______________________________________________

Me and Ren continued our trek in the forest towards our destination, but he stopped midway before I could make another, reaching his hand out toward me to signal me to stop. 

And then I heard it. A loud rustling against the grass, followed by hissing. Ren immediately got into a fighting stance and I followed suit. Back then, I didn’t believe in a higher power. But right now, I prayed that my lack of skills wouldn’t show. The snake like Grimm emerged from out of the bushes and circled around us before cornering. I looked into it’s red eyes and immediately remembered... The dream. 

I stood numbly frozen in shock as Ren continued to fight. Salem’s voice haunting me and pulled me out of consciousness. Then I heard Ren scream my name, the snake charging at me. I immediately took out my weapon and conjured it into an axe, and aimed for the snakes neck. As fight response took in, I mustered all the strength I had to yield my weapon and slice it’s neck in half. 

It should’ve ended there, but instead just like in Hercules, the snake grew two heads. “Ah, Fuck me.” I cursed under my breath. Immediately, Ren came to my side as one headed snake was about to take me. He grabbed it by its fangs and pulled off its two upper ones, using it and his aura to defeat the first one. I didn’t have an aura, but I followed his tactic as the second one came into my peripheral, tugging out a fang and using it to pierce through its skin. The snake’s remaining body then dissipated. As soon as I realized that we were no longer in danger, I slumped down in exhaustion as soon as the initial adrenaline from the fight response dissipated. 

Ren seemed to be unperturbed as he placed his weapons back in place. Suddenly, a sound from the distance echoed, an obvious attempt at a human making an animal sound. And as expected, Nora came out of hiding, sliding off from a branch. Ren smiled. “I still don’t think that’s what a sloth sounds like.”  
Nora simply reached out a finger and booped his nose. 

_______________________________________________

It was a long tedious fight against Grimm, And I didn’t know how I managed to survive it. I had managed to pull out the scorpion’s sprinter and used it against himself like the snakes. Out of sheer dumb luck and fight responses I suppose. All that rage suppressed in me all these years and I finally got to use it.   
We all came out exhausted in the end. 

As it turns out I would be joining Team JNPR during this day fourth. Professor Ozpin called us on stage each by name. He explained that since the students were divided in an odd number, I’d be joining as expected Jaune’s team which will be named henceforth as Team JNIPR. 

What I didn’t expect was that it will be lead by... 

Me.


	4. Chapter 3: Stirring The Leaves

The next few days have passed by in a blur.  
I was living in a daze. At night, I couldn’t get any sleep. As the rest of my teammates found themselves in slumber I’d sneak out of the room and head out onto the grounds. Bottle of Vodka in hand along with a cigarette in order to avoid the nightmares that plagued my thoughts. Of course, I suffered during the day. Falling asleep in Porter and Oobleck’s class with Phyrra or Ren trying so desperately to keep me awake with little to no avail.

As each of the members were getting to know one another, I was becoming more distant. My hesitations on being appointed leader showed as I confined to my drunken stupor. I avoided the team as they ate in the cafeteria. Each of their attempts to get me to talk about myself have been carefully dogged, and only indulged them when it was absolutely necessary. I was slowly distancing myself from the lot of them, and my teammates were beginning to notice.

Sometimes, the stash of alcohol that I kept under my bed would be placed somewhere else, or I’d find my pack of cigarettes disposed of in the bin. I was noticing what they were trying to do. To get some reaction out of me. But it wasn’t working. Due to the lack of sleep I’ve become completely docile and unresponsive. Whenever they’d try to steal my stash, I’d just buy new ones and hide them some place else where they wouldn’t find it. More often than not, I’d take the rest of my stash with me to class, so that they wouldn’t take it from me. 

But still I persisted. Each night I snuck out. I stayed awake each night looking up at the broken moon and wondering how my presence in this world would alter the story line. A myriad of anxieties regarding my presence here in this world plagued my thoughts. I’ve already changed so much, I wasn’t going to ruin it any further. 

But tonight was different. 

“Not with your teammates, Miss Argent?”  
I jolted immediately. “Professor Ozpin!” I cried in surprise to which he merely chuckled. It was then I realized that he caught me red handed with my alcohol and cigarette. “I was just uhh...”  
“Oh, don’t worry. I understand. You’re an adult after all, you have the free will to decide to stop this when you do.”   
I sighed in relief. But his next question caught me off guard.   
“Mind if I join you?”   
I stared at him for a few moments. Wondering whether or not I should entertain him. But since I had nothing else better to do or any excuse to push him away, I relented. “Of course.” The Headmaster of Beacon merely hummed and took a seat beside me, following my gaze up against the broken moon.  
There was an air of awkward silence for a few moments, but Ozpin didn’t seemed to mind as he took a sip from his hot cocoa. “Professor?”  
I then began to ask. He hummed in acknowledgement. I then turned around to face him. “Why me?”  
He then raised an eyebrow at me and said; “I’m not entirely sure what you mean.”  
“Well, you knew it wasn’t supposed to be me who would be appointed leader of team JNIPR. You know of my temporary condition here in this world. So why me?”  
The Professor looked thoughtful for a few moments, then turned to look at me gravely. “Are you insinuating my lack of poor judgement, Miss Argent?”  
“Well, to be quite frank, Yes.” The professor remained unfazed. But I could see his expression as he slightly leaned back and titled his head. “I mean, I’m not supposed to be here. Technically, I’m not supposed to exist. And yet, you appointed me as team leader of team JNIPR. Why?”  
“It’s not a matter of why, Miss Argent.”  
“I’m sorry? I-I’m afraid I don’t follow.”  
“You believe that because you are not a part of this world, that you don’t have any right to partake in it correct?”  
“Yes, well, no - I-“  
“Look at the trees.” He then told me. Like a child, I followed. “See how they breeze moves past the wind. They rustle softly, but they do not break or fall. Your presence here, is like the wind. You may stir the branches, knock on a few leaves but the branches will remain untouched.”   
“But that only proves my point sir, the wind changed. I won’t be here for long. I’m just an outlander.”   
“But right now, you are. Miss Argent, I have made more mistakes than any man, woman and child on this planet. But at this moment, I would not consider your appointment to be leader as one of them.”   
“Yeah, I’ve heard that before.” I muttered out loud by accident. Still unconvinced. The Professor eyed me curiously.  
“Miss Argent. Or should I say, Miss Villegas.” That name. I instantly turned around to face him once again. I hadn’t heard that name since coming here. And his sudden usage of it intrigued me. “Your presence in this world has made a big impact on our lives yes. But that does not mean you should deprive yourself of the human condition. We as human beings are social beings. You’re a part of this world now, just as much as we are a part of it.”   
I sighed.   
“You are only confined only by the walls you build yourself.” He places a comforting hand on my shoulder, which lingered much longer than it should’ve. Noticing this, the Professor quickly took it away and stood from his seat off the bench.   
“I shall leave you to your reverie.”

He mumbled softly before swiftly pivoting and began walking away from me. I watched his figure slowly disappear in the darkness and I turned my gaze back up in the sky, noticing that the morning sun was slowly beginning to rise, I sighed finishing my bottle and throwing my cigarette on the ground and killed it, heading back to the dorms, to get ready for another day ahead, contemplating upon what Ozpin had just told me. 

I headed back an hour later, by this time, a few of my teammates were still asleep. Save for Ren’s bed that was already neatly made. He came out of the bathroom a few moments later already dressed and surprised to see me. “Welcome back.” He regarded nonchalantly. “Good morning to you too, Ren.” I replied simply. Walking towards my bedside to get my stuff prepared for the day.  
“I guess I should get ready.”  
“Yeah, good idea.”  
I saw a shake of disapproval from Ren’s head in my peripheral when he spotted the bottle of vodka on my hand but regardless, he didn’t say anything.   
“Ivy?”  
“Yeah, Ren?”  
“You haven’t really been spending time with us as a team, and the others were wondering if you wanted to join us at the cafeteria-“  
“I’d be glad to, Ren.”

He was shocked by my response, and I assumed he was expecting some sort of disapproval, he stared at me for a few moments, but then the faintest hint of a smile appeared on his mouth. “That’ll be great thanks. Looking forward to it.”

“Me too, Ren. Me too.”


End file.
